Respond to the International Library Automation Perceptions Survey

There is still time to respond to the International Library Automation Perceptions Survey conducted through Library Technology Guides. The survey will remain open for data collection through January 13, 2012. If your library has not yet responded, please take a few minutes to complete this brief survey. I also encourage you to write any comments that you might have that reflect your experiences and that you feel that other libraries should know when considering this product.

This survey collects what I hope will be useful information to help libraries become better informed about automation products available and the organizations involved with them. It’s important to have as much information as possible when making strategic decisions regarding the automation products that might best serve the library in the future. This survey collects data measuring the degree of satisfaction that libraries experience with their current automation systems and the organizations that support them and probes at their interest in current trends such as open source automation systems or the implementation of discovery products.

While the survey responses in the past four years have been dominated by libraries in the United States, I hope to increase the numbers from other regions. Toward this goal, I’ve been able to have colleagues produce translations of the survey invitation in Spanish, Italian, and Chinese. Thanks to Nieves González, Giulio Bonanome, and Nie Hua for their work. A broader international response will help increase awareness of the many automation products used in libraries outside the United States and whether the feel well served by these products.

Note that only one response per library is allowed. I do allow responses from each branch or facility associated with a library, but not from the same individual, as defined by unique e-mail address. You should work directly in the library for which you respond. I encourage each response to be considered as much as possible as an institutional response, not necessarily just the impressions of a single individual.

These survey and the reports based on their response data make an impact. Not only does it provide information for libraries to use as one element of their investigation processes for technology products, but they provide a mechanism for feedback to the organizations that develop and support the systems.